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Bratakus, once described by the BBC as “the most remote band in the UK”, formed in 2015 by two sisters Brèagha Cuinn (Guitar and vocals) and Onnagh Cuinn (Bass and vocals) outside a small whiskey village called Tomintoul in the Highlands. Fiercely DIY since their inception, the band run their own label Screaming Babies Records and with no music on streaming services and no booking agent, they have already taken the band as far as Japan, supported The Hives on tour and have secured airplay from BBC Scotland, etc.
Bratakus are excited to announce that they have signed to Venn Records, the label ran by Laurent ‘Lags’ Barnard of UK punk band Gallows, and previously the home of artists like High Vis, Bob Vylan and Witch Fever. Now entering a new and exciting phase of their career, commencing with brand-new single ‘Final Girls’ (recorded and produced at Studio Gröndahl in Sweden with The Hives bass player Johan Gustafsson), Bratakus are ready to take their sound to the next level. Commenting on new single ‘Final Girls’, Brèagha says
"Final Girls is a song about the horror movie trope of the 'Final Girl' and all the rules they have to follow in order to survive the movie. The song talks about how the rules and standards that these characters have to abide by reflect the unspoken rules that society puts in place for women. Women are taught that we have to behave in a certain way, present ourselves in a certain way and deny ourselves certain things in order to stay safe or be treated with respect. This song is calling that out. We should not live in fear for simply existing in the way that we choose. The narrative needs to change around these situations. People need to stop putting the onus on women and girls and holding us to very outdated standards.”
The accompanying music video echoes the statement, an ode to the horror classic Carrie which sees the band get soaked in blood, but the video shoot didn’t quite go as planned as Brèagha reveals.
“I thought I brought a broken guitar down to a Glasgow for the shoot, but Onnagh packed the car at the last minute and brought my actual guitar and I didn't find out till we got to the venue. By that time it was too late and we just had to go with it, so fingers crossed it survives!”
Given the band’s remote surroundings when they started, it was impossible for the duo to find a drummer in their small hamlet, let alone the neighbouring villages. Brèagha, then 18, and younger sister Onnagh, 14 at the time, had no choice but to improvise as Brèagha explains.
“We programmed some drum tracks, plugged in for our first practice and instantly it just felt like we already had a band, so we've been playing like that ever since! What started out as a logistical issue now feels like a big part of our identity and we just love playing as a two piece.”
Heavily influenced by the garage rock scene and bands like The Distillers, The Donnas and X-Ray Spex, Bratakus went on to perform their first ever gig at a fundraiser for the Glasgow Rock 'n' Roll School for Girls in the Glasgow School of Art.
“As this was a kid friendly show there were lots of young girls in attendance, which meant the front half of the venue was filled with little girls spinning around in dresses during our set. It was unusual for a punk gig but made for a really fun atmosphere.”
Despite Bratakus’ staunch resistance to mainstream music industry practices, the young band quickly built up a following. Their unique approach to creating their art drew the attention of BBC Scotland who featured the band in two documentary shorts, ‘Hidden Lives’ and ‘TUNE’. Author and musician, Ian Glasper wrote about the sisters in his book The Scene That Would Not Die, a deep dive into post-millennial punk in the UK. Meanwhile in the USA, legendary punk zine Maximum Rock’n’Roll wrote about the band and even BBC radio DJ Vic Galloway added the duo to his “Ones to Watch” list.
Word was spreading, and before they knew it, Bratakus were being booked for live performances in countries as far as Japan. Support slots for bands like Propagandhi, The Hives, Bis, and Discharge helped the sisters turn into a ferocious live combo. If there was ever any doubt that a punk band could pull off not having a live drummer, these two sisters are here to prove you wrong.
‘Final Girls’ is a taster for the new album, due out on Venn Records in 2026, and a sign of things to come.
